2011 Ford F-150 EcoBoost rated at 16 city, 22 highway

It's official: Ford's 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6 engine, as seen in the 2011 F-150 pickup truck, has been rated at 16 city and 22 highway by the EPA. And it's also officially the engine to get if you're shopping for a new Blue Oval workhorse.

To put it all into perspective, the 365-horsepower, 420-pound-foot EcoBoost-equipped F-150 offers 3,060 pounds of payload and 11,300 pounds worth of towing capability – both of which are best-in-class – and it gets better fuel mileage than any comparable engines offered by Ford's competitors (see the graph after the break).

All this baked-in, twin-turbocharged goodness won't even cost the buyer all that much money, as the EcoBoost engine option adds just $750 to the cost of a truck that would otherwise be equipped with the perfectly acceptable 5.0-liter V8, or $1,750 over the cost of the base 3.7-liter V6.

Money well spent, we'd say, especially considering that the more powerful EcoBoost beats the 5.0 when it comes to fuel efficiency (15/21) and nearly matches the 3.7's 16/23 rating. Probably not when smoking its tires, though...

Want to know more? Feel free to check out the complete press release after the break.

The Ford F-150 breaks new ground this year with its available EcoBoost engine, delivering a combination of fuel economy, performance and towing that beats all other trucks.

The Ford F-150's official 2011 EPA ratings – completed this week – certify that models equipped with the 365-horsepower 3.5-liter EcoBoost twin-turbo engine and six-speed automatic transmission achieve 22 mpg on the highway and 16 mpg in the city. No other truck with comparable horsepower can match the F-150 EcoBoost in highway or city fuel economy.

The one-two punch of Ford Motor Company's EcoBoost technology – fuel economy and high performance – opens a new era for truck customers.

"The 3.5-liter EcoBoost truck engine is a shining example of the uncompromising nature of Ford's EcoBoost technology: more power and better fuel economy," said Doug Scott, Ford Truck Group Marketing Manager. "What's important for truck customers is that this all-new engine delivers best-in-class capability where it matters most: towing and hauling. Now they're getting great fuel economy, too."

The 3.5-liter EcoBoost is the final piece of the most extensive powertrain makeover in the 63-year history of Ford F-Series. Introduced earlier and now available are a new 3.7-liter V6, a 5.0-liter V8 and a 6.2-liter V8. Each of these engines also offers best-in-class or unsurpassed fuel economy, power and capability.

Meanwhile, each engine is mated to a fuel-saving six-speed automatic transmission – making Ford the only manufacturer to equip its entire full-size pickup lineup with standard six-speed automatic gearboxes. All 2011 F-150s, except those equipped with the optional 6.2-liter V8, feature EPAS, or electric power-assisted steering, a segment first. EPAS contributes about a 4 percent fuel-economy benefit compared with conventional hydraulic systems.

This versatile new powertrain lineup enables F-150 customers to choose the engine that best suits their needs.
Widest application of EcoBoost technology

The 3.5-liter EcoBoost truck engine for the 2011 Ford F-150 means this award-winning technology is now available in the best-selling vehicle in America. In 2010, 528,349 Ford F-Series trucks were sold, making it not only the best-selling truck in America for the 34th straight year, but also the best-selling vehicle, car or truck, for the 29th consecutive year. No other car, truck, SUV or CUV reached the 400,000 unit sales level in 2010.

By 2013, Ford plans to offer an EcoBoost engine in up to 90 percent of its North American nameplates, supporting global sales of 1.5 million EcoBoost-powered vehicles per year.

EcoBoost is fundamental to Ford's strategy to provide technologically advanced, high-output, smaller-displacement powertrains that deliver uncompromised performance and fuel economy. Ford EcoBoost engines deliver fuel-economy gains of up to 20 percent and reduction of CO2 emissions of up to 15 percent, compared with larger, less-efficient engines.

In addition to turbocharging with direct injection, Ford powertrain engineers have enhanced EcoBoost's technology capabilities by adding variable valve timing and precisely controlling all aspects of the engine. Ford has at least 125 patents on its EcoBoost technology.
Diesel-like performance in a gasoline engine

The key technologies built into every EcoBoost engine, including turbocharging and direct fuel injection, are particularly relevant to truck customers. This combination of turbocharging and direct fuel injection delivers a wealth of low-end torque and maintains it across a broad rpm range, which is key in towing applications.

The 3.5-liter EcoBoost truck engine delivers 420 lb.-ft. of torque and 365 horsepower to enable best-in-class towing of 11,300 pounds – more than enough to tow a fully loaded three-horse trailer or 30-foot boat, for example. Plus the EcoBoost truck engine does it all on regular fuel and with outstanding fuel economy.

"Truck customers should think of the EcoBoost truck engine as a gas-powered engine with diesel-type capability and characteristics," said Jim Mazuchowski, V6 engines program manager. "The twin turbochargers and direct injection give it the broad, flat torque curve that makes towing with a diesel so effortless – and hard acceleration so much fun."

As with diesels, today's EcoBoost engines feature:

* A high-pressure direct-injection fuel system fed by a common rail that delivers a precise amount of gasoline in the exact spot for fast and complete burn
* Turbocharging to create a more dense mix of air and fuel in each cylinder
* Special pistons with optimized bowls in the center to improve combustion efficiency. These pistons are also oil-cooled, which reduces in-cylinder temperatures
* Reduced CO2 emissions and higher fuel economy

And just like diesels, Ford's EcoBoost engines deliver outstanding performance and driving enjoyment at all speeds. EcoBoost accomplishes this at less cost than a similar-displacement diesel engine.

Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F), a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Mich., manufactures or distributes automobiles across six continents. With about 163,000 employees and about 70 plants worldwide, the company's automotive brands include Ford and Lincoln. The company provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. For more information regarding Ford's products, please visit www.ford.com.